FACT FOOD #936

The death penalty device ‘Guillotine’ was invented by Antoine Louis, an 18th-century French medicine professional. The prototype for the device was initially called ‘Louisette’, however, it became Guillotine after another French physician, Joseph Guillotin proposed the Louisette for capital punishment. Guillotin’s name became the eponym for the device. It was used infamously during the French revolution and the practice was abolished in 1977.